INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – Cam Martin of Missouri Southern State University (Joplin, Mo.) and Lilly Ritz of Wheeling University (Wheeling, W. Va.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division II National Players of the Week for the week ending Jan. 31.
Martin, a senior forward averaged 34.5 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists while leading Missouri Southern to a pair of wins over Rogers State and Northeastern State last week. He scored a season-high 38 points with 8 rebounds and 5 assists to lead the Lions to a 96-87 win over Rogers State, and two nights later he tallied 31 points and 12 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season in a 100-83 win over Northeastern State.
The 6-foot-9, 240-pound forward from Yukon, Okla., shot 73 percent (24-for-33) from the field during the week, hitting 5-of-7 three-pointers while making 16-of-19 free throws (84 percent). Martin currently ranks as the third-leading scorer in Division II this season, averaging 25.6 points per game, and he moved up to third on the Lions career scoring list with 1,825 points in three seasons at MSSU.
Ritz, a junior forward, was named the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Co-Player of the Week after a 28-point, 30-rebound performance in a 104-99 win at West Virginia State University.
The Cambridge, Ohio, native made 11-of-17 field goals and pulled down 27 of her season-high 30 rebounds on the defensive glass, while also recording four blocks and five assists.
Ritz became the first player in NCAA Division II history to notch multiple games with 30 or more rebounds after matching a DII single-game record with 36 rebounds last season. Her 30-rebound effort last week is tied for the 11th-best in Division II history.
Ritz leads NCAA Division II with 18.4 rebounds per game this season and has also recorded six double-doubles.
This is her second USBWA Womens Basketball DII National Player of the Week honor in her career, having also won the award last season.
Each Tuesday, the USBWA is selecting men's and women's Division II National Players of the Week. This is the seventh season that the USBWA will recognize national players of the week from Division II.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Malcolm Moran at 814-574-1485.
2020-21 USBWA Division II National Players of the Week
Week ending Jan. 10: Chandler Jacobs, Dallas
Baptist University and Sydney Kin, University of Findlay
·
Week ending Jan. 17: Chandler Jacobs, Dallas
Baptist University and Breanna Diestelkamp, University of Missouri-St. Louis
· Week ending Jan. 24: Parker Fox, Northern
State University and Mayci Sales, Walsh University
·
Week ending Jan. 31: Cam Martin, Missouri Southern
State University and Lilly Ritz, Wheeling University
·
Week ending Feb. 7: Patrick Cartier, Hillsdale
College and Zyaire Ewing, Delta State University
·
Week ending Feb. 14: Isaiah Reddish, Barton
College and Brooklyn Pannell, University of Charleston
·
Week ending Feb. 21: TJ Crockett, Lindenwood
University and Breanna Locke, Emmanuel College (Ga.)
·
Week ending Feb. 28: Joel Murray, West Texas
A&M University and Rachel Berry, Fresno Pacific University